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have them； the rest I will leave； if you will； to you
entirely； let it be your book； and disclaim what you dislike
in the preface。 You can say it was at my eager prayer。 I
should say I am the less willing to pass Chatto over； because
he behaved the other day in a very handsome manner。 He asked
leave to reprint DAMIEN； I gave it to him as a present；
explaining I could receive no emolument for a personal
attack。 And he took out my share of profits； and sent them
in my name to the Leper Fund。 I could not bear after that to
take from him any of that class of books which I have always
given him。 Tell him the same terms will do。 Clark to print；
uniform with the others。
I have lost all the days since this letter began re…handling
Chapter IV。 of the Samoa racket。 I do not go in for
literature； address myself to sensible people rather than to
sensitive。 And； indeed； it is a kind of journalism； I have
no right to dally； if it is to help； it must come soon。 In
two months from now it shall be done； and should be published
in the course of March。 I propose Cassell gets it。 I am
going to call it 'A Footnote to History： Eight Years of
Trouble in Samoa；' I believe。 I recoil from serious names；
they seem so much too pretentious for a pamphlet。 It will be
about the size of TREASURE ISLAND； I believe。 Of course； as
you now know； my case of conscience cleared itself off； and I
began my intervention directly to one of the parties。 The
other； the Chief Justice； I am to inform of my book the first
occasion。 God knows if the book will do any good … or harm；
but I judge it right to try。 There is one man's life
certainly involved； and it may be all our lives。 I must not
stand and slouch； but do my best as best I can。 But you may
conceive the difficulty of a history extending to the present
week； at least； and where almost all the actors upon all
sides are of my personal acquaintance。 The only way is to
judge slowly； and write boldly； and leave the issue to fate。
。 。 。 I am far indeed from wishing to confine myself to
creative work； that is a loss； the other repairs； the one
chance for a man； and； above all； for one who grows elderly；
ahem； is to vary drainage and repair。 That is the one thing
I understand … the cultivation of the shallow SOLUM of my
brain。 But I would rather； from soon on； be released from
the obligation to write。 In five or six years this
plantation … suppose it and us still to exist … should pretty
well support us and pay wages； not before； and already the
six years seem long to me。 If literature were but a pastime！
I have interrupted myself to write the necessary notification
to the Chief Justice。
I see in looking up Longman's letter that it was as usual the
letter of an obliging gentleman； so do not trouble him with
my reminder。 I wish all my publishers were not so nice。 And
I have a fourth and a fifth baying at my heels； but for
these； of course； they must go wanting。
DEC。 2ND。
No answer from the Chief Justice； which is like him； but
surely very wrong in such a case。 The lunch bell！ I have
been off work； playing patience and weeding all morning。
Yesterday and the day before I drafted eleven and revised
nine pages of Chapter V。； and the truth is； I was extinct by
lunch…time； and played patience sourly the rest of the day。
To…morrow or next day I hope to go in again and win。 Lunch
2nd Bell。
DEC。 2ND； AFTERNOON。
I have kept up the idleness； blew on the pipe to Belle's
piano； then had a ride in the forest all by my nainsel； back
and piped again； and now dinner nearing。 Take up this sheet
with nothing to say。 The weird figure of Faauma is in the
room washing my windows； in a black lavalava （kilt） with a
red handkerchief hanging from round her neck between her
breasts； not another stitch； her hair close cropped and
oiled； when she first came here she was an angelic little
stripling； but she is now in full flower … or half…flower …
and grows buxom。 As I write； I hear her wet cloth moving and
grunting with some industry； for I had a word this day with
her husband on the matter of work and meal…time； when she is
always late。 And she has a vague reverence for Papa； as she
and her enormous husband address me when anything is wrong。
Her husband is Lafaele； sometimes called the archangel； of
whom I have writ you often。 Rest of our household； Talolo；
cook； Pulu； kitchen boy； good； steady； industrious lads；
Henry； back again from Savaii； where his love affair seems
not to have prospered； with what looks like a spear…wound in
the back of his head； of which Mr。 Reticence says nothing；
Simi； Manuele； and two other labourers out…doors。 Lafaele is
provost of the live…stock； whereof now； three milk…cows； one
bull…calf； one heifer； Jack； Macfarlane； the mare； Harold；
Tifaga Jack； Donald and Edinburgh … seven horses … O； and the
stallion … eight horses； five cattle； total； if my arithmetic
be correct； thirteen head of beasts； I don't know how the
pigs stand； or the ducks； or the chickens； but we get a good
many eggs； and now and again a duckling or a chickling for
the table； the pigs are more solemn； and appear only on
birthdays and sich。
MONDAY； DEC。 7。
On Friday morning about eleven 1500 cacao seeds arrived； and
we set to and toiled from twelve that day to six； and went to
bed pretty tired。 Next day I got about an hour and a half at
my History； and was at it again by 8。10； and except an hour
for lunch kept at it till four P。M。 Yesterday； I did some
History in the morning； and slept most of the afternoon； and
to…day； being still averse from physical labour； and the mail
drawing nigh； drew out of the squad； and finished for press
the fifth chapter of my History； fifty…nine pages in one
month； which （you will allow me to say） is a devil of a large
order； it means at least 177 pages of writing； 89；000 words！
and hours going to and fro among my notes。 However； this is
the way it has to be done； the job must be done fast； or it
is of no use。 And it is a curious yarn。 Honestly； I think
people should be amused and convinced； if they could be at
the pains to look at such a damned outlandish piece of
machinery； which of course they won't。 And much I care。
When I was filling baskets all Saturday； in my dull mulish
way； perhaps the slowest worker there； surely the most
particular； and the only one that never looked up or knocked
off； I could not but think I should have been sent on
exhibition as an example to young literary men。 Here is how
to learn to write； might be the motto。 You should have seen
us； the verandah was like an Irish bog； our hands and faces
were bedaubed with soil； and Faauma was supposed to have
struck the right note when she remarked （A PROPOS of
nothing）； 'Too much ELEELE （soil） for